Liquid level gauge equipment



April 1941- J. J. TOKHEIM 2,237,462

LIQUID LEVEL GAUGE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April8, 1941. J. J. TOKHEIM 2.237.462

, LIQUID LEVEL GAUGE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2(III/AI Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics LIQUID LEVELGAUGE EQUIPMENT John J Tokheirn, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application December2, 1937, Serial No. 177,794

(ill. 73-321) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to float operated liquid level gauges, and has,particular reference toan improved float operated liquid level gaugewhich, while capable of general use, is particularly design-ed for use.in connection. with storage tanks for volatile liquids, such asgasoline.

The present float operated gauge is of the type including a tape whichis attached to the float for movement in harmony with the latter andwhich bears liquid level indications thereon for cooperation with anindex, the weight of the float being utilized to move the tape in onedirection when the level of the liquid falls, and a counterweight.attached to the tape being utilized to move the tape in the oppositedirection when the level of the liquid rises. In order that a gauge ofthis type may operate smoothly and properly it is necessary that thecounterweight be freely movable vertically and that it shall have apermissible range of vertical movement at least equal to the range ofvertical movement of the float. However, to provide for such movement ofthe counterweight in installations of prior types of gauges has notalways been practicable, and in many instances has involved seriouscomplications. Accordingly, another important object of the presentinvention is to provide a float operated liquid level gauge of the tapeand counterweight type embodying a construction whereby thecounterweight may be disposed within the tank with which the gauge isassociated where it will be freely movable and have the required rangeof movement regardless of conditions exteriorly of the tank.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will become morefully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, thesame consists in the novel features of combination, construction andarrangement as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of referencedenote corresponding adjacent sections of, the tape accommodating tubes.

Figure 4 is across section on the line i -l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the indexhousing of the equipment; and

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Ill designates a liquid storagetank which may be of any size, shape and design and which may be mountedin any known manner, either below, or at,.or above the ground surface,the same being illustrated in the present instance as being supportedabove the ground surface and as having a ladder ll leading to the topthereof in accordance with known practice and for a known purpose.

Connected in any suitable manner with the tank In in vapor tightrelationship thereto and leading from the top thereof to any desiredlocation, are two tubes i2 and it which, at their ends remote from thetank, are connected with one end of anindex housing M the other end ofwhich is closed. In the housing M is a sheave l5, and extending overthis sheave is, the intermediate portion of a tape Hi the respectivereaches Hi and [6 of which extend through the tubes l2 and I3 into thetank It where one of said reaches, the reach Hi in the present instance,is connected to the top of a float ll, andthe other of said reaches, thereach H5? in the present instance, has connected thereto a weight Iii.This weight is lighter than the float l1. It will be observed from Fig.1 that the weight it is preferably of elongated rod-like form.Therefore, said tape is movable in one, direction by the weight of thefloat I! when the latter moves downwardly upon fall of the level of theliquid in the tank andis movable in an opposite direction by the weightI8. when the float rises responsive to rise in the level of the liquidin the tank. Since the weight It is disposed within the tank,installation of the gauging equipment obviously is simplified at leastto the extent that any necessity of the provision of special meansoutside of the tank to accommodate said weight is avoided.

To neutralize the effect of the weight of the tape it upon the float Hin different positions of the latter so that the gauge will readaccurately at all times, a section IQ of flexible material, of the sameweight per unit of length as the tape i6, is engaged at its ends withthe ends of said tape and renders the latter, in effect, endless. Thus,so far as the weight of the tape is concerned, its effect upon the floatI1 is neutralized regardless of the position of the float in the tank.The section I9 may consist of the same material as the tape I6 or it maybe comprised by any other material. In either case, said section I9preferably is provided at its ends with eyes 20 which slidably engagethe reaches Is I6 of the tape I6 above the float I! and above the weightI8, respectively, so that when said Weight is disposed adjacent to thebottom of the tank I0, any tendency of the section I9 to support theweight I8 as a result of contact of the weight with the bottom of thetank results simply in one of the eyes 20 moving upwardly along therelated reach of the tape I6 so that tendency of the section I9 toattempt to support the weight is overcome and does not affect theaccuracy of the gauge. The float Il may or may not be provided at itsbottom with a guide loop or eye 2I for the section I9, as may bedesired. Under ordinary operation of the tank the tape will not rest onthe bottom but if the tank be filled above its proper upper limit theweight I8 will hit the bottom of the tank and tilt until the top end ofthe weight drops below the lower end of the member I9 which, at thetime, hangs nearly vertical and in a straight line. Without theprovision of the loop 20 at the top of the weight I8 a somewhat furtherfilling of the tank permits the lower loop 20 to slide up the tapesection I6 without any of the weight of the member I 8 being carried bythe float I! as would be the case were the member I9 fixed to the weightI8. Furthermore the provision of the loops 20 permits the member I9 tobe connected to the tape proper without interfering with properconnection of the weight l8 and float I l to said tape.

In the present instance the tubes I2 and I3 are shown as being connectedto the top of a gauging well 22 disposed within the tank III andshielding the float I1, as and for the purposes set forth in mycompanion application, Serial No. 177,793, filed of even date herewith.However, so far as the mechanism comprising the present invention isconcerned, the use of a gauging well such as the well 22 is optional andif it is not used the tubes I2 and I3 may be connected with the tankeither directly or in any other suitable manner.

Wherever different portions of the tubes I2 and I3 extend in differentdirections there preferably are provided within said tubes at thejunctions of the diiferent portions thereof, or within the fittingsconnecting the different portions thereof, suitable sheaves or rollers23 over which the tape I6 is guided for free travel. Other sheaves orrollers may be provided in straight portions of said tubes if desired tofurther assist in providing for free travel of the tape I6. Moreover,angularly adjustable fittings 24 are, or may be, employed to connectdiiTerent portions of the tubes I2 and I3 so that certain portions ofsaid -tubes may be disposed at various different angles relative toother portions of said tubes. Thus, any necessity of providing a specialfitting for each different angular installation of different portions ofthe tubes I2 and I3 is avoided. This is important because of the widevariance in angular relation ship between difierent portions of thetubes I2 and I3 required in different installations. For example, it maybe desired to mount the index housing I4 and portions of the tubes I2and I3 at the side of a ladder II, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.Different ladders may be disposed at different inclinations, but by theuse of angularly adjustable fittings such as the fittings 24, differentportions of the tubes I2 and I3 may be disposed in the desired angularrelationship relative to each other to permit the installation, it beingsimply required to cut the tube sections of the proper length inaccordance with particular installation conditions in any giveninstance.

One of the fittings 24 is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawingsas comprising a segmental casing 25 and a hollow head 26 rotatablyfitted within said casing and retained therein by flanged members 2 Ifastened to said casing and engaging flanges 28 on said head, the casing25 being formed, as indicated at 29, to have one pipe or tube section I2or I3 connected therewith; the head 26 being formed, as indicated at3|], to have another pipe or tube section I2 or I3 connected therewith;the said head 26 having a relatively wide mouth 3| for alinement withthe formation 29 in any operative rotated position of said head relativeto said casing, and there being mounted within said head, on a shaft 32journaled in suitable bearings in the side walls thereof, a sheave orroller 23 over which the tape I6 is u ded.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, it will beobserved that the housing I4 carries a removable front 33 and that inthis removable front is a window opening 34 which is closed by a plate35 of glass or other suitable transparent material directly behind whicha portion of one of the reaches of the tape I6 is disposed and throughwhich said portion of said reach is visible. It will further be observedthat a screw element 36 is rotatably mounted at one end in one end ofthe housing I4 and extends behind that portion of the reach of the tapeI 6 which is disposed behind the window opening 34 and is supported atits other end in a plate 31 extending transversely of the housing I4;also, that said screw element is provided exteriorly of the housing I4with a suitable knob or handle 38 for effecting its rotation. It willfurther be observed that a plate 39 of sheet metal or other suitablematerial is disposed inwardly of or behind that portion of the tape I 6which is disposed behind the window opening 34 to afford a background tofacilitate reading of the liquid level indications on the tape I6; thata nut 40 is threaded on the screw element 36; that a pair of arms 4|, 4|extend from said nut toward the window opening 34 and across oppositeside edges of the plate 39, whereby the nut is held against rotation butis permitted to move longitudinally along the screw element andlongitudinally relative to the portion of the tape I6 which is disposedbehind the window opening 34; and that carried by said arms 4I, 4| andextending across the front of the portion of the tape I6 which isdisposed behind the window opening 34 is an index 42 in the form of athread of fine wire or its equivalent.

Obviously, by rotating the screw element 36 the nut 40 and,consequently, the index 42 may be adjusted longitudinally relative tothe portion of the tape I6 which is disposed behind the window opening34 to obtain a correct adjustment of the gauge for a liquid of anyparticular specific gravity contained in the tank It. Obviously, too,the index 42 may readily and easily be changed whenever required withoutin any way disturbing any other part of the gauging equipment. Moreover,once the index 42 has been adjusted to afford, in conjunction with theindications on the tape IS, a correct indication of the level of anyparticular liquid which may be contained in the tank ID, the gauge mayreadily be read by viewing the relationship of the indications on thetape to the index 42 through the window opening 34 and as long as thespecific gravity of the liquid in the tank is not changed the gauge willremain accurate due to the fact that the tubes l2 and i3 and the housingM are vapor tight and are completely closed to the atmosphere, being incommunication only with the tank 10.

In a bottom portion of the housing I4 is an opening through which anycondensate may be drained from said housing, said opening being normallyclosed by a plug 43.

If desired, the shaft 44 carrying the sheave l5 may be equipped with aninertia detractor as, and for the purpose, set forth in my prior PatentNo. 1,937,447, the handle of such a detractor being indicated as 45 inFigure 6 of the drawings.

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim: 1. In combination with a liquid storage tank,

a liquid level gauge comprising a looped tape having its end portionsextending downwardly into said tank, a float attached to one end of saidtape, a counterbalance weight attached to the other end of said tape, alength of flexible material, of the same weight per unit of length asthe tape, slidably connected at one end with the weight attached endportion of the tape and extending from said weight attached end portionof the tape substantially to the bottom of the tank and then upwardly toand connected with the other end portion of said tape, and meanscooperating with said tape to indicate the level of the liquid in thetank.

2. In combination with a liquid storage tank, a liquid level gaugecomprising a looped tape having its end portions extending downwardlyinto said tank, a float attached to one end of said tape, acounterbalance weight attached to the other end of said tape, a loopedlength of flexible material, of the same weight per unit of length, assaid tape, slidably connected at its ends with the end portions of saidtape above said float and above said weight, respectively, and extendingsubstantially to the bottom of the tank, and means cooperating with saidtape to indicate the level of the liquid in the tank.

JOHN J. TOKHEIM.

